At Park Fitness, wellness goes beyond equipment and exercise classes. It’s about creating a space where people feel welcome, supported, and connected. That vision comes to life every Friday from 4-5pm at Community Yoga, a FREE class designed for everyone in the community.
Whether you’re new to yoga or returning to your mat, Community Yoga is your chance to slow down, connect, and head into the weekend feeling lighter, calmer, and more grounded. The class takes place in the Mind/Body Studio overlooking The Preserve of Highland Park, offering peaceful, scenic views that elevate the entire experience.
Community Yoga is made possible through the generous support of Highland Park Hospital – Endeavor Health. Their sponsorship enables Park Fitness to remove barriers and offer this high-quality wellness experience at no cost to the community.
Jodi DiTomassso, Manager of Fitness, tells us how that program reflects a larger mission.
“My focus is creating a space where everyone feels welcome, supported, and inspired to take care of their health,” Jodi shares. Alongside a dedicated team of fitness professionals, she helps foster an environment where people of all backgrounds and experience levels can feel at home.
The class is intentionally designed to be accessible. There is no membership required, no residency restrictions, and no limit to how often you can attend. It’s a simple invitation: come as you are.
Each session focuses on gentle movement, stretching, and breathwork in a calm, easy-to-follow format. Community Yoga is led by a team of 13 dedicated instructors who rotate through the schedule as part of their commitment to give back. This allows participants to experience a variety of teaching styles while always feeling supported in an all-level, beginner-friendly environment.
“You will always feel comfortable and leave feeling better than when you walked in,” Jodi says.
Virtually every community has a leash law. In Highland Park, the law requires that dogs be kept on a leash on public property, including our parks. The law intends to protect the health and safety of the public and to protect your pet. A leash is commonly referred to as “Your Pet’s Lifeline” and protects your pet from harm and potentially harming other people or animals in the area. While you can train certain dogs to avoid the busy roads, stop and wait for their owner at corners, and even return to their side at command, there is always the chance that a dog could act impulsively. The safest and legal way to walk your dog is on a leash.
Dog Park Membership offers countless benefits for your dog. One of the most important benefits a dog park provides a dog is to exercise both his body and mind. In an open off-leash space, your dog has the chance to run around freely, chasing after balls and other dogs as much as his heart desires. He can socialize with humans and other dogs, which helps maintain healthy social skills. Like people, dogs are social creatures, and they enjoy being around their own kind. Your dog can practice his communication skills with other dogs and gives him practice reading other dogs. Practicing and mastering these skills helps your dog from developing fear or aggression problems around other dogs. This is especially true if you have a young dog that is eager to learn. And, not only is it fun for your four-legged friend, but it’s also fun for you! You can run around and exercise with your dog, practice off-leash training, talk to and bond with other dog owners, and enjoy the time watching your dog have the time of his life.
The Park District of Highland Park has three dog parks available to registered members:
Debbie Gottlieb Beitler Dog Park at Larry Fink Memorial Park – open year-round
701 Deer Creek Parkway
A relaxed park-like atmosphere with two off-leash exercise areas, depending on the size of your dog.
Moraine Dog Beach – open mid-April through mid-November
2501 Sheridan Road
Moraine Dog Beach has a new boardwalk and path leading down to the beach. Your dogs can run in the sand and dip in the lake on those hot, sunny days.
Highland Park Golf Learning Center – open mid-December through mid-March
2203 Skokie Valley Highway
A large outdoor venue for your dog to run off some of that cabin fever energy.
We’re excited to share that a brand‑new SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) Clothing & Textile Collection Bin is now available for the community! The bin is located in the northeastern corner of the shared Senior Center, Park Fitness and The Preserve of Highland Park parking lot.
The Park District is partnering with the City of Highland Park and SWALCO to bring a convenient way to reuse and recycle clothing & textiles, keeping them out of the landfill.
The SWALCO program accepts both new/gently used clothing and textiles and worn or stained items, including:
The Partnership with SWALCO to install the Clothing and Textile Collection Bin supports the Park District’s GreenPath goal to reduce landfill waste.
Register for one day or all 5!
Get out of the house and hit the courts this spring break.
Drill and play with our pros and also play some games.
Ages 7-14
Nature Impossible: Tuesday, 10am-Noon or 12:30-2:30pm
Become a nature secret agent! Spend the morning, master skills like map making and compass navigation. In the afternoon, put your skills to the test with animal observation and scavenger hunts to solve nature mysteries.
Builder Bats: Thursday, 10am-Noon or 12:30-2:30pm
Learn all about Bats, the amazing nocturnal creatures hiding in our woods! Use hammers and nails to put together a Bat house and hang it here at Heller Nature Center.
Ages: 6-10
Program is outdoors so please dress for the weather. Participants attending morning and afternoon sessions may bring a peanut-free sack lunch to eat between programs.
Young explorers come discover what amazing things we have in store for your Spring Break!
Grossology: Monday, 10am-Noon or 12:30-2:30pm
Get ready for a day of gross nature fun! The morning will explore animal clues, like scat and what they tell us about wildlife, while the afternoon takes a closer look at birds and their barf with hands-on activities throughout the entire day.
Up in the Air: Wednesday, 10am-Noon or 12:30-2:30pm
What flies up in those skies? Build rockets, kites, and planes and see where they go at Rosewood Beach!
Ages: 6-10
Program is outdoors so please dress for the weather. Participants attending morning and afternoon sessions may bring a peanut-free sack lunch to eat between programs.
The STREAM Explorers Spring Break Camp offers a fun experience for children during spring break. Held at West Ridge Center, this camp features a variety of activities in Science, Technology, Recreation, Environment, Art, and More. Participants will engage in hands-on technology projects, creative art activities, exciting recreational games, and environmental explorations. The camp provides an ideal way for kids to spend their spring break, making new friends and exploring new interests in a dynamic and supportive environment.
Ages 5-10
Program is waitlisted
Beginning Monday, March 2, the entire south parking lot and the south end of the circle drive at the main entrance at West Ridge Center will be closed to accommodate construction of the parking lot for the new West Ridge Community Center opening in May.
During construction, we kindly ask patrons to park in the north parking lot in the designated areas and use the sidewalk to access the main entrance. Signage will be in place to help guide you safely. Parking spaces at the front circle drive will be for ADA access only.
We appreciate your patience as we complete this important project and look forward to welcoming you to the new West Ridge Community Center soon.
If you missed the GreenPrint Master Plan Open House on February 7, you still have an opportunity to review the project’s progress and provide feedback.
You can view the introductory video and the complete presentation and provide your comments on our GreenPrint website. The presentation and video provide an overview of the planning process and community engagement to date, explore ideas for future capital projects and system priorities, provide an understanding of what these projects might cost, and explain what is currently budgeted versus what will require creative funding mechanisms to become a reality.
Ten years ago, the Park District of Highland Park introduced GreenPrint, a transformative parks and recreation master plan that shaped the future of open spaces, facilities, and programs in Highland Park. With community input, collaboration, and strategic investment, the initiatives outlined in the plan were implemented over the last ten years, enhancing parks, recreation facilities, and open spaces throughout the district. This accomplishment reflects a strong commitment to delivering on long-term priorities and setting a solid foundation for future planning efforts.
Now, a decade later, it’s time to reassess, refine, and reimagine what comes next.
The New GreenPrint Master Plan will build upon the success of the original plan while incorporating new insights, priorities, and emerging needs.
This process has involved robust community engagement, a fresh analysis of parks, facilities, and programs, and a clear roadmap for future investments—ensuring that Highland Park’s facilities, parks, and programs continue to serve residents for years to come.
We invite you to be a part of it!
Cast your vote today! Our very own Rosewood Beach is in the running for American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) 100th Anniversary Best of the Best Restored Beach Award.
In 2016, following the opening of the newly restored Rosewood Beach, the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) named Rosewood Beach a winner of its annual Best Restored Beach Award. Fast forward to today, in celebration of its 100th anniversary, the ASBPA is looking for America to vote on the Best of the Best Restored Beaches. Rosewood Beach is once again a contender.
We’re so proud to see our beach be recognized as one of the nation’s top restored beaches. Voting is open now through October. Let’s show some love for Rosewood Beach!
Deer Creek Racquet Club celebrated an exciting milestone this past weekend (January 31–February 2) as 13-year-old Maya Keller made club history at a Level 4 USTA tournament in Chicago.
Competing in the Girls 14 & Under division, Maya became the first Deer Creek Racquet Club junior player to win a Level 4 USTA event! She is currently ranked 8th in Chicago and 16th in the Midwest, and this achievement marks another step forward in her tennis journey.
We’re incredibly proud of Maya and look forward to seeing what’s next!
Last weekend, our Park District of Highland Park Competitive Gymnasts competed in the Linda’s Island Adventure meet in Waukegan, IL.
In an exciting milestone for our program, this meet marked our very first Xcel competition at the Xcel Gold level, and our athletes rose to the occasion in a big way. Shay Kessel delivered a standout performance, earning 1st place on beam and an impressive 4th place All-Around. These results reflect the hard work, dedication, and growth our gymnasts and coaches have put into this new program.
We were also thrilled to see our Level 3s compete in their first meet of the season, showing confidence and determination throughout the day. Marley Rosen, Gabby Vega, and Zoey Haycock left it all on the floor! Zoey had a great showing, finishing 7th on bars and 8th on floor, and all of our Level 3 athletes performed strongly as they kicked off their season. This meet was a major moment for our program, and we couldn’t be prouder of how our gymnasts represented us—this is just the beginning of something special!
I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, a small town about 2.5 hours east of Highland Park. After college, I headed back to Elkhart and spent a little over five years as a naturalist with the county parks. Eventually, I moved to Detroit to finish grad school, then joined the University of Michigan’s Student Life Sustainability team. There, I got to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff on making campus life a little greener. I left that position to move closer to my family, including my parents, who now live in the Chicago suburbs too!
I don’t have one specific memory that sparked my love for nature, it’s more like a collection of moments spent outside with my grandparents growing up. In the summers, I’d visit my dad’s parents in Chicago, where their city-sized backyard overflowed with plants. My grandma always let me dig in the dirt and help with her garden, and I loved every second of it. Back home in Elkhart, my mom’s parents lived just down the road. I visited almost every day after school, exploring the property, half of which was left undeveloped, full of the perfect climbing trees and what felt like a million lightning bugs in the summer.
What I love most about working in nature is the sense of connection it brings to the land, to the seasons, etc. I especially enjoy finding and sharing moments of nature in places where people might not expect them, like dense cities or suburban green spaces.
I’m an ordained minister. It started as an inside joke with friends, but word got out, and I have performed three weddings so far.
I love the sense of pride and connection from the Heller regulars! With that, I wish more people in the community knew what a gem the property is, not just for the great programs, but for all of the self-guided adventures it offers!
I love exploring nature outside of work, but I also enjoy indoor activities like reading, watching movies, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family.
If I could be any animal for a day, I’d probably choose the American beaver. I love to swim, I love trees, and I try to live as sustainably as possible, just like beavers! Exploring a forest, swimming along a river, and creating vital wetland habitats. Sounds like a perfect day!
